INEC seeks 10 years ban for electoral offenders

By Wahab Akanji, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has moved toÂ amend the Electoral Act that would seek to disqualify or bar electoralÂ offenders from standing for future elections.Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stated this in Abuja onÂ Friday also expressed regrets that electoral violence and malpracticeÂ instigated by the political class were responsible for the recent
spate of inconclusive elections conducted so far by the Commission.

Yakubu who spoke at one-day civil society/stakeholders round table onÂ INEC and inconclusive elections, noted that the desperation by mostÂ politicians to win elections at all cost usually lead to massiveÂ electoral irregularities and violence resulted death of innocentÂ citizens and destruction of properties.

The session was organised by the Independent Service Delivery MonitorsÂ group, ISDMG, in collaboration with Partners for Elective Reforms,Â PER, was chaired by Human Rights activist, Mr. Ledun Mitee.Â Yakubu, who was represented by the Director Voter Education at theÂ Commission, Mr Oluwale Osaze Uzzy, however, enjoined Human RightsÂ activists to promote any cause that, would lead to restoration of Â sanity in the electoral system.

While also calling for a 10-year ban on politicians who are guilty ofÂ electoral offences from aspiring to any public office, the INEC ChiefÂ added that the tide of electoral violence and malpractices was making
the conduct of elections difficult for the Commission.

Human Rights activist, Mr Ezenwa Nwagwu, who spoke from theÂ independent observerâ€™s perspective, expressed fears that the currentÂ leadership crisis of PDP if not resolved would negatively impact on
the conduct of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and OndoÂ States.

He disclosed that INEC has conducted 129 election in the last six Â months and still have 31 more by July, it inherited 49 rerun in 16Â states. He however called for revisit of the recommendation of theÂ Justice Uwais led electoral reform committee particularlyÂ recommendation for the establishment of Electoral Offences CommissionÂ and Political Party Registration and Regulatory Commission.